(Adopted at the fourth meeting on 23 September 1999)

Amendments to Protocol B

THE JOINT COMMITTEE,

Having regard to Protocol B to the Agreement between the EFTA States and Latvia signed 7 December 1995, hereinafter referred to as "this Agreement" concerning the definition of the concept of "originating products" and methods of administrative cooperation, amended by Decision No. 1 of 1996 and No. 1 of 1999 of the Joint EFTA-Latvia Committee,

Having regard to paragraph 1 of the Record of Understanding relating to the Agreement between the EFTA States and Latvia according to which the Parties to the Agreement declared their readiness, in case of any decision taken in the appropriate bodies concerning the implementation of European cumulation, to adapt Protocol B accordingly,

Noting that to take account of changes in processing techniques and shortages of certain raw materials, some corrections should be made to the list of working and processing requirements which non-originating materials have to fulfil in order to qualify for originating status,

Noting that to take account of the introduction of the euro, the "units of account" shall be the equivalent to the single currency of the European Union (euro),

Having regard to Article 31 of the Agreement, empowering the Joint Committee to amend Protocol B to this Agreement,

DECIDES:

1. Sub-paragraph (n) of Article 1 of Protocol B shall be amended to read as follows:

"(n) "units of account" shall be the equivalent to the single currency of the European Monetary Union (euro),"

2. Paragraph 3 of Article 30 of Protocol B shall be amended to read as follows:

"3. The amounts to be used in any given national currency shall be the equivalent in that national currency of the amount expressed in units of accounts as at the first working day in October 1999."

3. In Annex II to Protocol B, the entries for HS headings 1904, 2207, ex 8401 and 9608 as well as HS chapter 57 shall be replaced by the following:

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(1) The exception concerning the Zea indurate maize is applicable until 31.12.2002.

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(1) For special conditions relating to products made of a mixture of textile materials, see Introductory Note 5.

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(1) This rule shall apply until 31 December 2005.

4. This Decision shall enter into force on 1 January 2000. For the Republic of Latvia the entry into force of this Decision is subject to ratification.

5. If the Republic of Latvia has not notified the other States Parties on the ratification before 1 January 2000 it shall apply this Decision provisionally from that date until the ratification has been notified.

6. The Secretary-General of the European Free Trade Association shall deposit the text of this Decision with the Depository.

(Pieņemts 1999.gada 23.septembrī ceturtās sēdes laikā)

Apvienotā komiteja,

Atsaucoties uz 1995.gada 7.decembrī parakstītā brīvās tirdzniecības līguma starp Latvijas Republiku un EBTA valstīm, turpmāk saukts "Līgums", B Protokolu par jēdziena "izcelsmes produkti" definīciju un administratīvās sadarbības metodēm, kurās veiktas izmaiņas ar EBTA valstu un Latvijas Apvienotās Komitejas lēmumu Nr. 1/1996 un Nr. 1/1999,

Atsaucoties uz EBTA valstu un Latvijas Līgumam pievienotā Saprašanās memoranda 1.paragrāfu, saskaņā ar kuru Līgumslēdzējas Puses izsaka gatavību ikvienā gadījumā, kad atbilstošas institūcijas pieņem lēmumus attiecībā uz Eiropas kumulācijas ieviešanu, atbilstoši pielietot B Protokolu,

Ievērojot to, ka jāprecizē apstrādes un pārstrādes noteikumu saraksts, kas jāizpilda neizcelsmes materiāliem, lai tie iegūtu izcelsmes statusu, ņemot vērā izmaiņas pārstrādes metodēs un atsevišķu izejmateriālu trūkumu,

Ievērojot to, ka līdz ar eiro ieviešanu "norēķinu vienībām" jābūt ekvivalentām ar Eiropas Monetārās Savienības vienoto valūtu (eiro),

Atsaucoties uz Līguma 31.pantu, kas pilnvaro Apvienoto Komiteju veikt labojumus šī Līguma B Protokolā,

NOLĒMUSI:

1. B Protokola 1.panta apakšparagrāfs (n) tiek mainīts sekojoši:

"(n) "norēķinu vienības" ir ekvivalentas Eiropas Monetārās Savienības vienotajai valūtai (eiro),"

2. B Protokola 30.panta 3.paragrāfs tiek mainīts sekojoši:

"3. Summām, kas lietotas jebkurā nacionālajā valūtā, jābūt ekvivalentām šīs nacionālās valūtas summām, kas izteiktas norēķinu vienībās uz 1999.gada oktobra pirmo darba dienu."

3. B Protokola II Pielikuma HS preču pozīcijas 1904, 2207, ex 8401 un 9608, kā arī 57.grupa tiek aizvietotas ar sekojošo: